Session Name: Representing Indigeneity in South Asia: Contestations and Negotiations
4 - Counter-storytelling: the case of Adivasi cultural preservation through digital media
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
14:00 – 15:45 (GMT+7)
Presentation Abstract This paper examines successful examples of Adivasi-led social media platforms in India and investigates initiatives that involve the participation of young people from the Adivasi communities across India in the cultural preservation of culture and language. By the employment of in-depth interviews and content analysis, this paper intends to enquire whether the cultural erasure of Adivasi identity can be positively countered with the use of social media and digital platforms. Starting from the definition of what has been called counter-storytelling, it further analyzes the work of digital activists and online groups such as the Santal Disom, Adivasi Lives Matter and Trilingo.in, and identifies the strategies, challenges and impacts of these initiatives in reclaiming cultural narratives and promoting Adivasi self-representation.
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